Gardening Articles: Care :: Plant Care Techniques

Where Have All the Honeybees Gone?

by Charlie Nardozzi

Honeybees are the unsung heroes of our food supply. Its estimated that up to one-third of the food we eat is dependent on honeybee pollination activity in spring and summer. In spring beekeepers transport honeybee hives around the country to insure that crops such as almonds, apples, and cherries get properly pollinated. Beekeepers have been battling stresses, such as mite attacks and diseases, to their honeybee hives for years. Now theres a new problem called the honeybee colony collapse.

Beekeepers in 22 states started noticing bee die-off last fall. This winter when beekeepers started checking their hives, they found an unexplained disappearance and dying off of many honeybee colonies. Some beekeepers have lost up to 80 percent of the hives. Although researchers believe diseases and pesticides may be factors, its unclear what is causing the dieback.